Flax-harvesting attachment for mowers.



No. 684,474. Patented Oct. l5, IQOI.

n. SVENSON.

FLAX HARVESTING ATTACHMENT- FUR MUWERS (Applicntioa filed Due. 18, 1900.)

5 sum-4m: I.

(No Model.)

114: NORRIS PETERS co. mmuumou WASHINGTON, n. c.

Patented Oct. l5, l90l.

I]. SVENSDN. FLAX HARVESTING ATTACHMENT FOB MOWERS.

(Application filed Dec. 13, 1900.)

5 Shaats-8heot 2.

m: uoaqls erses co. Pnoroumofi WASHINGTON a. c

No. 684,474. Patented Oct. |5, l90l.

n. sveusou. FLAX HARVESTING ATTACHMENT FOR MOWERS.

(Application filed. Dec. 13, 1900.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. Patented 06%. I5, I90!) 0. SVENSUN. HARVESTING ATTACHMENT FOR MDWEBSQ (Application filed Dec. 18, 1900.)

FLAX

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.-

m: Noam! vrrzns co. "momma, WASHINGTON, n c.

No. 684,474. Patented Oct. I5, mm" D. svsnsou.

FLAX HARVESTING ATTACHMENT FOR h iOWERS.

(Application filed. Dec. 13, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Shoat 5.

' the swath which is out being dropped directly UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL SVENSON, OF TWVIN VALLEY, MINNESOTA.

FLAX- HARVESTING ATTACHMENT FOR MOWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,474, dated October 15, 1901. Application filed December 13,1900. Serial No. 39,597. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL SVENSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Twin Valley, in the county of Norman and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flax-HarvestingAttachments for Mowers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention has for its object to provide an attachment for mowers and mowing-machines which will render the same efficient for harvesting flax; and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The attachment is applicable to any mower or similar machine, but is in the illustration given shown as applied to a mower of the type disclosed in the Patent No. 554,601, issued to Pliny F. Hodges, of date February 14, 1896, entitled a Mowing-machine.

It is a well-known fact that mowers are frequently used to cut flax in substantially the same manner that they are used to cut grass,

behind the sickle and finger-bar. When thus deposited, the horses on the next round will of course pass over the previously-dropped swath. In the case of flax, which when out is easilythreshed, this is very objectionable, for the reason that the flax will be. threshed and wasted to a very considerable extent.

By my invention I provide a device which will collect the cut flax at the rear of the sickle and finger-bar and will at intervals deposit the same in loose bundles at the rear of the machine and outward of the line of the swath which is being cut by the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my improved attachment applied as above indicated, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating my invention as applied to the mower above identified. Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of the mower and attachment illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line :0 m of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line at of Fig. 3, some parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the irregular line 00 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view in plan, showing the grapple-actuated Windlass and connected parts, some parts being broken away. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line 00" 00 of Fig. 6. Fig. Sis a transverse vertical section on the irregular line m 00 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detail in transverse vertical section on the line 00 m of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line 00 00 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail in horizontal section approximately on the line 0: .00 of Fig. 2, some parts being broken away. Fig. 12 is a detail in side elevation of the grain-board shoe, and Fig. 13 is avertical section on the line r x of Fig. 1.

Of the parts of the mower it is only necessary for the purposes of this case to briefly enumerate the following parts, to wit: the main frame 1, traction-wheels 2, pole 8, fingerb'ar 4, sickle 5, sickle-bar shoe 6, grain-board shoe 7, and grain-board 8, the latter of which is shown as provided with an extension 9.

In accordance with my invention Iprovide for attachment to the finger-bar 4 a so-called collecting-deck, preferably afforded by a series of rearwardly-extended slats a, secured at their forward ends to a connecting-bar at. The bar a is secured at its inner end to a supplemental shoe a and at its outer end to a supplemental shoe a as best shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The shoe o is adapted to be detachably secured to the shoe 6 by means of a bolt a, which works through lugs a at its forward end and overlies the forward end of said shoe 6, and by means of one or more nutted clam pin g-bolts a is secured to the rear end thereof and is engageable with a lug a on the rear portion of said shoe 6. The supplemental shoe a is adapted to be detachably secured to the shoe 7 by means of a socket a and a bracket a", through which bracket a and shoe 7 one or more nutted bolts a are passed. The bar a is further secured at its intermediate portion by means of split bolts a provided at their forward ends with sockets 0. which engage with the fingers of the finger-bar 4. The rear ends of these divided bolts o are semicylindrical and when drawn together make a complete bolt, on which nuts 0, work, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Pivoted in brackets 12, secured on the outer and inner slats of the skeleton deck a, is the transverse rock-shaft b of a grain cut-off device. This rock-shaft b is provided in a common plane with a series of fingers 19 which when turned downward prevent the cut flax or grain from sliding rearward on the deckstrips a, but when turned upward permit the said out flax to slide rearward over the said deck strips or slats a under the advance movement of the machine and the frictional contact with the ground or stubble and to be taken up by a so-called grapple-rake, presently to be described. The shaft 1) is further provided at its inner end with an arm W, to which the forwardend'of an operating-rod b is pivotally connected. A very strong supplemental frame made up of rigidly-connected beams c and e is detachably secured to the frame 1 of the mower by means of clamps cand brackets 0 (Best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.)

In the construction illustrated the so-called grapple-rake is pivotally supported from the rear end of the inner beam 0, and to afford this connection a pronged metal head 0 is directly secured to the end of the said beam 0. Through the prongs of this head 0 an inclined pintle or pivot-bolt c is passed, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 11. On the bolt or pintle c the prongs of a hinge c are pivoted. As shown, the lower prong of the head 0 is formed with ratchet-teeth c", and the hinged bracket c is provided with a recess 0 in which is pivoted a pawl 0 The pawl c cooperates with the ratchet-teeth c' and is operated through a rod 0 as hereinafter described. (For above construction see Figs. 2 and 11.) A swinging beam (Z is secured between the depending prongs of the hinge-bracket c and the intermediate portion thereof'is connected to the upper portion of the hinge-bracket c by an inclined brace-bar (ZS (See Fig. 2.) Rigidly secured one at the outer end and one near the inner end of the swinging beam (1 is a pair of parallel. supporting-straps (1 that project 'both forward andrearward of.

the said beam, as best shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The so-called grapple-rake is made up of a pair of members having much the form of a hayrake, and, as shown, comprising pivot-bars f, having curved tines or teeth f, tied together near their fixed ends by transverse tie-straps f The barsf have projecting trunnionsf' by means of which theya're pivotally mounted in the ends of the supporting-straps d as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4.. It may be here stated, however, that the forward member of the grapple-rake is given a pivotal movement from its normal position, (indicated by full lines) into its closed position,(indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 3,) while the rear member of the said grapple is held against pivotal movement in its normal poseams sition, (indicated by full lines in Fig. 3,) so that the said rear member acts as a gathering-rake .to collect the cut flax or grain delivered thereto from the collecting-deck a. The tie-strap f of the forward grapple member is connected by a short link f to the free end of a bell-crank j, which is pivoted at its elbow to a bearing-lug f on the swinging beam 61. The tie-bar f of the rear grapple member is connected by a short link f to the rear end of another bell-crank f which is also connected to the lug-bracket f on the bar d. A guide-bracket f rigidly secured to the beam d, projects rearwardly therefrom and near its outer end is detachably but rigidly secured to the rearwardly-projecting portion of the bell-crank f as shown, by means of a small nutted boltf (See Fig. 4.) In this manner the bell-crank f and hence the rear member of the grapple-rake, is secured against pivotal movement. A grapple-actuating lever f is pivoted at f to the outwardly-projecting arm of the bell-crank f and is provided with a depending arm f which is connected by a short link f to the short and rearwardly-projecting arm of the bell-crank f (See Fig. 3.) A spring f which has its base of reaction on the upper arm of the bell-crankf yieldingly holds the actuating-arm f in its extreme uppermost position. (Indicated by full lines in said Fig. 3.) One end of a grapple-actuating cable f is connected to the free end of said leverf This cable f runs over a guide-sheavef, mounted in the outer end of the bracket f and over another guide-sheave f mounted on a projecting arm f of said bracketf". The other end of this cable f is connected to the winding-drum of a Windlass, to be hereinafter described. The forward swinging movementof the grapple-rake is limited by the engagement of the inner strap (1 with a stoplog 9 of a bracket g, which depends from the 'matically engaged with the perforation g of the latch-plate The latch-plate g is released from the lug g by means of a lever g", pivoted to a lug g on the swinging bar d, the free end of which lever overlies the free end 'of said latch-plate, as best shown in Fig. 9.

A connecting-strap g pivoted at its upper end to the short rear end of the bell-crank is connected to the outer end of thelever g by means of a pin or stud g on said lever 9 which works in an elongated slot 9 in the lower end of said strap g. The normal positions of these parts are best indicated in Figs. 3 and 9. The slot g is of such length that when the grapple-actuating lever f is forced into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 the forward grapple member will be moved into the position also indicated by dotted lines in said Fig. 3, and the strap 9 lever 9 and latch-plate g will be moved into the positions indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 9 and 10, thereby releasing the said latch-plate from the lug g and permitting the closed grapple-rake to be swung into the delivery position indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. To throw downward the cutoff comb or device b 12 as indicated by dotted line in Fig. 3, the rear end of the actuating-rod b heretofore noted, is connected to one arm of a bell-crank b pivoted to a lug b en the upper end of the bracket g and having its other arm connected by a link b to a spring-arm 19 secured to one side of the swinging hinge strap 0 When the grapple is thrown into itsdelivery position, (indicated in Fig. 1,) the spring-arm b will bend, as indicated by dotted line in said View, and the cut-off comb will be thrown downward to its limit against a stop 12 on one of the brackets b, as best indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. As already stated, one end of the grapple-actuat ing cable f is attached to the actuating-lever f. Its other end runs over a guide sheave 7c, suitably mounted on the upper rear end of the outer frame-beam c and is secured at is to a drum 16 carried by a Windlass-shaft 10 which is suitably mounted at one end in a bearing-box and at its other end in a bearing-plate 70 which parts 70 and k are secured on the supplemental frame 0 c, as best indicated in Fig. 1. The shaft 70 and drum k are put under yielding strain to unwind and let out the cable f by a coiled spring 7a, secured at one end to the bearing 7t and at its other end to the shaft k Atits outer end the windlass-shaft 70 is provided with a loose gear 76, the teeth of which are shown as afforded by pins extending between parallel plates. This gear 70 is provided with a half-clutch k and it meshes with the teeth of a sprocket-like gear 10 which, as shown, has laterally-bulged spokes 7c that are detachably secured to the spokes of the adjacent traction-wheel 2 by means of clamps 70. Just inward of the halfclutch 70 of the gear k the shaft 70 is provided with a fixed collar 76 and just inward of this fixed collar said shaft is provided with a sliding collar 70 which is grooved at 70 and is adapted to be shifted by a foot-actuated shipper-lever 71: pivoted at 70 to the frame-beam c and provided withvstuds k", which engage the gear 70 of said sliding collar. The sliding collar 10 is provided with pawl-like projections 7e that work through suitable grooves in the secured collar 70 and engage the teeth of the half-clutch k of the gear 10". The collar causes the collar 70 to rotate with the shaft k Hence when said collar 7r is moved outward, so that the pawl members 7.5 engage the teeth of the halfcluteh 70 the shaft k will be driven in a direction to wind up the cable J from the outer traction-wheel 2 through the gears 70 k Under the winding action of the cable f it is guided onto the drum k by the following device: n indicates a spiral formed on the windlass-shaft 70 This spiral n operates a vibrating lever n, pivoted to the frame-beam c at n and provided with prongs having lugs n n, which engage, respectively,.between the upper and lower portions of the spiral n, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 8. n indicates a sliding link which is pivoted at one end to the upper prong of the lever 71., as shown at 71 and is pivoted at its other end to the depending end of a vibrating link of, pivoted at its upper end to the upper rear end of the outer frame-beam c, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5. At its intermediate portion the sliding link n is provided with a guide-sheave a over which the cable f runs and by which it is forced laterally, so that it will be wound spirally on the drum 70 The outer end of the upper prong of the lever 12. is connected to a projection 70 of the shipper-lever 70 by means of a toggle lever a, one arm of which has a stop 71 which engages the other arm, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6, to prevent the said toggle from being thrown to a dead-center. When the lever 12. is forced to its extreme position toward the left, as shown in Fig. 6, the toggle-lever n is straightened to its limit and then acts upon the shipper-lever k to draw the pawls 10 out of engagement with the teeth of the half-clutch k whereupon the drum k and shaft k are released from the drivinggear 70" and are then quickly thrown back to their normal positions (indicated by full lines in Fig. 6) under the action of the spring 7c and the tension from the cable f When the grapple and swinging beam of are swung into the delivery position, (indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2,) the pawl c is engaged with the ratchet-teeth c of a fixed cap or head 0 by means of the following device, (for these parts attention is directedv to Figs. 2, 3, and 11:) The rod 0 already noted, is pivot-ally connected to the depending arm of a bell-crank p, which is pivoted at its elbow to the brace-bar d. The other arm of this bellcrank p is connected by a link 1) to the actuating-lever f at a point very close to its pivot, as. best shown in Fig. 3. When the actuating-leverf is drawn downward toward its dotted-line position, (indicated in Fig. 3,) the rod 0 will be subjected to an end thrust and will be buckled more or less, so that it acts as a spring to force the pawl 0" into engagement with the ratchet-teeth c. t

The operation, briefly summarized, is as follows: As already stated, the parts normally stand as indicated by full lines in Figs. 1, 2,3,9, and 11. Under the advance movement of the machine the grain which is cut will fall onto the skeleton deck a and will be caught by the rear and relatively-fixed members of the so-called grapple-rake. When a sufficient bundle has been accumulated, the operator by engagement of the free end of the shipperlever 7c forces the pawlskinto engagement with the half-clutch k of the constantly-running gear 76, and thus starts the Windlass k into action to wind up the cable f As the latch-plate g and lug g (shown in Fig. 10) at this time lock the grapple in its receiving position, the first effect of the windingof the cable is to draw downward the grapple-actuating arm f, and thereby close the pivoted member of the grapple, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. At approximately the same time that the parts reach the dotted-line positions (indicated in Fig. 3) the latch-plate g is released from the lug g, as previously described, and the continued movement of the cable positively draws the closed grapple with its loadinto its delivery position. (Shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.) It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the grapple is materially raised as it is thrown rearward. This-is due to the fact that the pintle or pivot-pin c is set on an incline. This rising moving is necessary in order that the loose bundle when dropped to the ground will be cleared by the teeth of the grapple. hen the cable f has been sufficiently wound to bring the grapple to its discharging position, the lever it reaches its dotted-line position (indicated in Fig. 6) and through the toggle-lever it releases the windlass. from the running-gear f in a manner already clearly described; but as the grapple is locked against its return swinging movementby the pawl 0 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 11,the first effect of slacking the cable f is to permit the jaws of the grapple to open up and drop the loose bundle of grain and the actuating-leverf to be restored to its normal position under theaction of its spring f. The final movement of the lever f to its normal position again releases the pawl from the ratchet-teeth c and the I grapple is then swung back toits normal position underthe action of its own gravity and under the action of the spring-arm 12 It will of course be understood that the mechanism above described is capable of a very large range of modification within the scope of my invention.

The term mower is herein used in a very broad sense to include any and all machines having the general character of an ordinary standard mower or reaper and capable of cutting grass, flax, or grain of any kind.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination with a mower, of a swinging grapple-rake receiving the cut grain from the sickle-bar thereof, said grapple rake havingapivoted forward member, and means under control of a common controlling-lever for first closing said pivoted member onto the collected grain and for then swinging the said grapple outward of the swath which is being cut, and for then opening up the said grapple-rake to drop the loose bundle at the rear of the machine, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a mower, of an oscillating carrier adapted to receive the cut grain and deposit the same outward of the swath which isjheing cut, alock for securing said carrier in its receiving position, another look for holding the same in its discharging position, and means under control of a common controlling-lever for oscillating said carrier operating, first, to release said former lock, then to swing said carrier into its discharging position, and then to release the said latter lock and restore said carrier to its normal position, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a mower, of an oscillating grapple arranged to-receive the grain from the sickle and to deliver the same outward of the swath which is being out, which grapple has a pivoted forward member, a lock normally holding said grapple in its receiving position, a second look for temporarily holding said grapple in its delivery position, and operating connect-ions for said grapple-involving a Windlass, a cable, a grapple-actuating lever, and connections between said actuatinglever and said two locks, whereby the winding of said cable first closes the grapple, second, releases the former of said locks, third, swings said grapple to its discharging position, and whereby the slacking of said cable first permits the opening of said grapple, second releases the latter of said locks, and, third, permits the said grapple to return to normal position, substantially asidescribed.

4. The combination with a mower, and an oscillating grapple operating to receive the grain and deposit the same outward of the swath which is being out, which grapple has relatively-fixed and pivoted members, of a Windlass having a flexible connection applied to the pivoted member of said grapple and working over guides of the relatively-fixed grapple member, a latch for holding said grapple in receiving position, which latch is subject to said flexible connection, and is arranged to be tripped only after the grapple has been closed, whereby, under the action of said windlass, said grapple will be closed, said latch then released and said grapple then swung into a delivering position, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a mover, of a grapple intermittently movable to deposit the grain outward of the swath which is being cut, of a cut-oit device pivotally movable to holdthe grain while said grapple is swung from its operative position, a stop for said cut-cit device, and connections between said cut-off device and grapple involving a yielding part which is put under strain assisting in throwing said grapple back to its normal position, substantially as described. 7

IIO

0. The combination with a Windlass and a of action at a predetermined time, substancable to be Wound thereon, of a constantlytially as described. running driver, cinch members for connect- In testimony whereof I affix my signature ing said Windlass with said driver, a spiral in presence of two Witnesses.

5 operated by said Windlass, a vibrating part DANIEL SVENSON.

operated by said spiral, and a connection be- Witnesses: tween said vibrating part and one of said MARIE LARSEN,

clutch members for throwing the clutch out SAXE J. FROSBURG. 

